1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for automatically loading and unloading a press and more particularly a compression press, which eliminates the necessity for an operator to place his hands between the separated die halves of the press.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A compression press is used to form parts by compressing a blank or charge of unformed material between a pair of movable die halves including male and female mold cavities. One application of such a compression press is in the formation of fiberglass parts wherein unformed blanks having a board-like consistency are laid in the mold and compressed under heated conditions in order to form a finished product. The die halves are then separated, with the finished product typically being retained on the upper die half as the die halves are separated. The finished product is then removed from the upper die half and the compression press reloaded for a subsequent operation.
Loading and unloading a compression press manually involves a significant hazard of having the press close accidentally on the operator's hands or body. New safety requirements make it very desirable to eliminate this hazard from operating conditions.
Some attempts have been made to design automatic loading and unloading devices for presses and the like wherein unformed materials are loaded into presses. One example of such a device is shown in Loznak et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,872, which provides for automatic loading and unloading of blanks by means of a spear-like impaling mechanism that moves inwardly and outwardly into and out of the die cavity.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic loading and unloading mechanism for a press that is particularly adapted to handling the boardlike blanks or charges used in forming fiberglass parts.